How can Osteopathy benefit dancers?
Written by Osteopath Gemma Ahrens
Dancing is a fantastic sport for fitness, flexibility, and fun! However, it is not without risk of injury. Any dancer knows how common it is to sprain an ankle, tear a hamstring, or just consistently feel tight in your muscles. Having grown up in the dance and aerial community myself, I understand the immense physical strain dancers endure, and my goal is to help dancers in the community to have less pain and more freedom of movement.
Injuries in dance can pose both an emotional and physical hurdle. Often we want to be able to ‘push through’, however are also fearful of doing further damage. Seeking a professional opinion when dealing with this question can help you to recover with confidence.
As a treating Osteopath, the goal is always to keep you dancing as much as possible. An osteopathic consult will consist of a short interview to understand more about the nature of your pain and how the injury occurred. We will then assess the whole body and how it is moving, and perform certain tests to determine exactly what the injury is and why your pain is occurring. In some cases, we may also send you for scans to further investigate what is going on. This will then be followed with appropriate treatment interventions including manual therapy treatment, education around your specific injury, and advice on how to reduce pain at home.
It is very rare that our advice will be for you to stop dancing as movement, flexibility and strength are all very important for tissue healing and injury recovery. Sometimes certain positions or movements may need to be avoided for a short time while your body recovers, however specific stretches and exercises will be prescribed in order to get you back to dancing at 100% ASAP.
I have experience treating dancers of all levels, from amateurs to professionals. Whether dancing is your career, your hobby, or your favourite subject at school, my goal is the same. Help you to reduce pain and improve movement so you can dance to your full potential.
Need help managing a dance-related issue or injury?
An appointment with our Osteopath Gemma may be beneficial in helping to manage an array of issues or topics. She may be able to help with a recent injury or to reach your fitness goals.
Call us now on 0425 876 929 if you have any questions or book your appointment below.
